The present invention relates to a motor vehicle signaling device and more particularly to a vehicle U-turn Signal Device to provide a U-turn Signal when a vehicle intends to make a U-turn.
Three hundred twenty million motor vehicles are registered in the United States in the year 2004. These many running vehicles can cause numerous traffic accidents. Performing a U-turn is considered statistically the most dangerous component in a great variety of accidents, even if most of local ordinances restrict making a U-turn on some stream of traffic. The statistical incidence of U-turns still shows that the rate of collision accidents is extremely high because other drivers often misunderstand the signal for a U-turn as a left turn. Therefore, it is very important that a driver be able to particularly indicate his intention to make a U-turn so others can get an early warning of this intention. This ability to signal the intention to perform a U-turn would be an advantage for all vehicles, but especially for semi-trucks because of their large turning radius when making a U-turn at an intersection.
In general, various relevant prior art lighting and signaling systems and the like, as well as apparatus and methods of their construction are found to be known and exemplified in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,289;U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,708; U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,950. These patents and other known prior signal devices may be suitable for their particular purpose, however, from their lighting components, signaling control method, device structure to installation aspect, these devices may benefit from a more versatile structure and more convenient installation.
An auxiliary U-turn signal indicating light attachment having a U-shape housing to be mounted on the lower left corner of the rear window of a vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,289 entitled “U-TURN SIGNAL ATTACHMENT”. The apparatus encloses a U-turn signal indicating lamp and manually operated switch for energizing the U-turn signal lamp. It requires replacement of lamp since its life span is limited.
Another U-turn signal device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,708, entitled “U-TURN SIGNAL APPARATUS”. The U-turn Signal Apparatus includes a vehicle with a front end and a rear end having two colored lights. The colored front left light is situated on the front end at a left extent thereof and rear left light is situated on the rear end at a left extent thereof. They are positioned adjacent to a conventional front left light and a conventional reverse rear light. The control circuitry is adapted to actuate the front left light and the rear left light at the discretion of the user. It has utility of combining the U-turn signal to the conventional signaling system in new automobile development, but for after-market vehicle signaling assembling, it is not convenient.
Another U-turn signal device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,950 entitled “VEHICLE U-TURN SIGNAL SYSTEM CONTROL”. The U-turn signal control can drive from one to multiple illuminated U-turn signals. The controller utilizes input from the factory original equipment turn signal actuator to turn it on and off. Even if it does not need an additional switch to operate the signal device, there is still the same problem as above.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a vehicle signaling device using an LED array as lighting components instead of using lamps. There is also a need for changing the traditional on and off signaling method, to a control circuit which controls the U-turn signal flashing and moving in a specific direction and frequency.